Clemson University researchers are developing new technologies to improve health care, agriculture, energy and other sectors and putting the innovations to use through license agreements with companies.
The Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF) on Tuesday recognized the dedicated Clemson researchers behind the nine U.S. patents earned and five license agreements executed in 2025 at its annual Innovation Awards at the Madren Conference Center. CURF currently has 120 active licenses and option agreements from a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio that span the multi-disciplinary Clemson University research enterprise.
“The university’s impact is defined not just by discovery but why what we do with it,” said Chris Gesswein, executive director of CURF. “Each innovation we recognize tonight carries the Tiger’s Mark forward, extending Clemson’s reach into communities and daily life well beyond campus to all around the world.”
The theme of this year’s Innovation Awards program was “The Tiger’s Mark: Innovation Powered by the Paw.” It served as a reminder of the spirit behind each innovation and the work done a daily basis by the faculty, staff and students at Clemson.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Lindsey Calcutt, a Clemson alumna, shared insights from her educational and career experiences. She outlined five lessons from her journey from student to entrepreneur and executive: understand your “why,” define your mission, assess your strengths and gaps, collaborate with people who elevate your thinking and enjoy the process along the way.
Patent awards and license agreements recognized at the event are listed below. In addition to innovations listed below, Clemson researchers disclosed 85 inventions in 2025 and started 12 new companies.
Patent Awards
The following faculty members were recognized for patents issued in 2025:
- Rhett Smith, Andrew Tennyson
- US Patent No. 12,252,664 | 03.18.2025
- Free fatty acid-based composites
- John Ballato
- US Patent No. 12,313,813 | 05.27.2025
- Molten core flux formation method and fibers formed therefrom
- Ksenija Gasic
- US Patent No. PP36,371 | 06.17.2025
- Peach tree named ‘CaroRes Delight’
- Sukumar Brahma
- US Patent No. 12,341,333 | 06.24.2025
- Topology Agnostic Detection and Location of Fault in DC Microgrid Using Local Measurements
- Judson Ryckman
- US Patent No. 12,352,568 | 07.08.2025
- Physical unclonable function from an integrated photonic interferometer
- Christopher Saski
- US Patent No. 12,365,907 | 07.22.205
- A novel vector for gene transfer and gene copy proliferation
- Charles Rice, Narendra Vyavahare
- US Patent No. 12,371,479 | 07.29.2025
- Anti-elastin antibodies and methods of use
- Kyle Brinkman, Jianhua “Joshua” Tong
- US Patent No. 12,410,072 | 09.09.2025
- Nanostructured Ceramic Membranes for Hydrogen Isotope Separation
- Richard diMonda, Jeremy Mercuri
- US Patent No. 12,447,022 | 10.21.2025
- Annulus repair devices, systems and methods
License Awards
The following faculty members and students were recognized for successful technology licensing:
- Sojourn MedTech
- Richard Groff, David Moline, Joseph Singapogu
- ThorafiX
- Hai Yao
- ConusCoat
- Mary Beth Johnstone, Andrew Mount
- SkilRedi
- Jeffrey Bertrand, Anand Gramopadhye, Kapil Madathil
- FastFlowLM, Inc.
- Tao Wei, Zhenyu Xu, Miaoxiang Yu
Clemson University Research Foundation
As an independent, affiliated 501(c)3 and 509(a) organization, CURF supports the University research ecosystem in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, greater contracting flexibility, streamlined access to external resources, and targeted marketing. CURF connects faculty, staff, and students to external opportunities for research partnership with the intent of creating a sustainable model of collaborative industry-sponsored research, feeding back into the university research enterprise.
